Saturday, 23 October 2010

Note to self: Make a list

My life seems to be organised around a scattering of post-it notes reminding me of what I have to do, get or even think about.

I love the sense of control that writing a list gives me. And the euphoria of sheer smugness I feel every time I tick something off.

So I was intrigued to read that writing a shopping list can save me £520 per year. Of course that assumes I take the list to the supermarket with me (or slavishly follow it when placing my online grocery order) and make a concerted effort not to go ‘off-list’ when tempting offers pop up on my radar.

The £520 a year saving statistic comes from the Tesco Greener Living campaign website. It shows you how much money you can save by going greener, including:

6 comments:

Gosh I'm good at making lists - but help me if my office ever turned into that Post-it hell!! I get too paranoid that they'll fly away at the opening of a window. I agree that shopping lists save so much money. I really do stick to it and realise that I don't even need to get a 'treat' as I've eaten so well by sticking to my meals plans! Thanks for the tips

Karen, I completely identify with you on the list front and you're right on the shopping front that it saves money and also time - my main reason for listing things. Oh and the smug feeling. Conversely, I like writing 'have done' lists which is something I suggest overwhelmed coaching clients of mine try now and again. It's one of my tips in my forthcoming book for working mums. The have done list, as the name suggests, is about recognising all you HAVE done, not what's still to do. It can be a real eye opener for some women who think they're not doing enough and other women who realise where all their time is going and what they're (not) prioritising.

I love the picture with all the post-its by the way and hope to God that's not a self portrait of your ofice else I will have to come and take you away ha ha!

Yes, exciting to see the book up there on Amazon already. Allison Mitchell is billing it as 'Just the ticket for those facing the perenial question of how to make going back to work, work.' You've got a new book out about quitting smoking soon haven't you?

Thought of another list that's good for us too - a 'What Not To-Do' list we're all so busy it's sometimes good to focus on what we don't need in our lives (e.g. negative people, moron TV, rubbish magazines that tell us how we should look, false nails...)!

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About Me

I'm a Professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and Professor of Fashion Psychology at Istanbul Bilgi University. Women's relationship with money is a keen interest of mine, since it is often psychologically and emotionally complex. And fashion interests me because it if so integral to personality and identity.
I teamed up with financial coach Simonne Gnessen to create Sheconomics. I'm also co-founder of the Do Something Different approach to behaviour change, see www.dsd.me or www.karenpine.com.
For more about Simonne's company Wise Monkey visit www.financial-coaching.co.uk.